Y'all, last night I made the grand mistake of simultaneously making risotto (stir, add broth, stir, add broth, repeat x5, don't stop stirring) and my lemon pie which requires vigilance and constant whisking over a double boiler. I got the double boiler for my birthday, at the last minute decided I wanted a lemon fluff pie instead of French Silk (and lemon fluff requires a pre-cooked shell) and didn't start the risotto or pie until 6:30p. As you may have surmised if you read Em-i-lis, I have a stubborn streak that isn't small. I can also be extremely willful when it comes to cooking. Generally these characteristics make for fun and courage in the kitch, both of which serve any cook well. In fact, I'd venture to say that if you don't enjoy the process and/or aren't willing to take risks, cooking shouldn't be your game plan beyond PB&J or similarly simple pursuits.
Um- I hear Oliver who has clearly snuck out of his crib again and is considering come down when he knows he's supposed to be napping. I'm going to ignore him.

Anyway, the risotto turned out fine, though I have to say that for all the incredible ingredients, it was rather mild (read: underwhelming) on the palate. I'd as soon have roasted asparagus, a pea salad, and ramp pesto than hide them all in rice, but bygones. Bizarrely, it's a little better today; the concept of leftovers is not one often used in the same breath as risotto...

Oliver is now snickering on the stairs, and tempting me to respond. How will I ever get anything done if I don't at least have his naptime to count on? I'm stubborn about the amount of TV the boys watch too. They don't get much.

Anyway, while cooking said tame risotto, I was also going to town on the egg yolks and other stuff in the double boiler.

Oliver just came in and said "I snuck down, Mommy." No shit.

I guess I didn't let the egg mixture thicken long enough because after I removed the pie from the oven with the glorious-looking meringue top all golden brown and puffed and cut into it, I found a soupy mess on the bottom. Sad. I cooked the pie for a lot longer and it finally firmed up. Today, it looks ugly but is delicious. Go stubbornness! Go perseverance!

Look at this fab salad I enjoyed for lunch! Freshly picked lettuce is the bomb!

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